27 NOVEMBER 2024

Chairperson, Ambassador Yun

Director General Pope

Excellencies,

Distinguished Delegates,

South Africa congratulates you chairperson and your bureau on your election at this 115th session of the IOM Council and extends its best wishes to you in the execution of your mandate.

South Africa aligns itself with the statement to be delivered by Sierra Leone on behalf of the African Group.

We Welcome the Director-General’s report reflecting on the stellar work undertaken by the organisation in the past year; in particular, the focus on saving lives and protecting people on the move including internally displaced persons.

South Africa believes that the issue of the internal displacement of persons requires much attention, especially those in low-and middle-income countries and poor communities. The incapacity to prevent loss of lives and responding effectively to the devastations of environmental hazards continues to pose a challenge to Governments.

Chairperson,

Recent statistics from the Southern African region reflect that El Niño occurrences in 2023/2024 have been prevalent, with over 61 million people affected by the drought and nearly 30 million facing crisis levels of food insecurity. The frequency and intensity of these climate- related events are increasing, and we urgently need anticipatory plans that are properly funded. We should forge collaborations and cooperation to set up early warning systems backed by reliable data to enable effective responses and save lives.

Beyond all of these after effect interventions, we have to take care of the world and reduce pollution because all these climate disasters are a direct result of how we are treating and polluting Mother Earth.

Chairperson,

In South Africa, the recurrence of disasters ranging from weather hazards such as droughts and cyclones to severe rainstorms that trigger widespread hardship and devastation have been displacing persons in various Local Municipalities. For example, the 2024 environmental disasters in Kwa-Zulu/Natal, the Free State and the Eastern Cape left behind huge infrastructure damage and displaced persons from their communities.

In response, the National Disaster Management Act was activated for inclusive coordination with local municipalities, the private sector, and civil society organisations. Furthermore, South Africa promulgated the Climate Change Act which will enable the development of an effective climate change response. We believe that well-funded anticipatory and response actions are critical in strengthening the capacity of Local Municipalities.

In bridging the funding gap, our President approved the creation of a Climate Change Response Fund that will bring together government at all levels to mobilise funds for resilience and response. The funds will be used for climate proofing for essential infrastructure and facilities, including but not limited to water, food systems and health infrastructure, in order to protect and preserve the dignity of those displaced.

Chairperson,

South Africa welcomes the information shared in the Director-General’s report on the Displacement Tracking Matrix, which will assist member states in strengthening their response mechanisms. This is particularly important for targeted responses for vulnerable populations. In this regard, South Africa would appreciate further engagement with IOM on this tool.

We look forward to collaborating with IOM and other Member States in ensuring the protection of migrants and Internally Displaced Persons.

I thank you